Envelope-opener and paper-cutter



(No Model.)

G. O. HOLDEN.

ENVELOPE OPENER AND PAPER CUTTER. No. 318,475. Patented May 26, 1-885.

WILINEEEEE I INVENT m3 N PEIERS. Phmo'ljhogmphnr, Wuhingmn. 0,0.

' llhvrrnn Smarts PATENT @rrrcn.

GEORGE G. HOLDEN, OF \VOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ENVELOPE-OPENER AND PAPER-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\To.318,4-'75, dated May 26, 1885.

(No model) To (ZZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. HOLDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVoreester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelope-0peners and Paper-Cutters; and I declare the following to be a description of my said invention sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and convenient instrument for opening envelopes and for cutting the folded edges of papers, books, magazines, 850., in a neat and expeditious manner; also, to afi'ord facilities for the clearance of small chips or bits of paper that may be detached from the edges of theleaves, papers, or envelopes while cutting them within the guard-piece. These objects I attain by an instrument constructed and operating as illustrated and hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improved envelope-opener and paper-cut.- ter. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at line 00. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the blade as having a notch at the clearance-opening. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the device. Fig. 6 is a view of the plate from which the guard is formed. Fig. 7 is a view of the blade, and Fig. 8 shows the screw and nut by which the blade is secured within the guard.

My improved envelope opener or cutter is formed of the guard A and a blade, B, arranged therein in the manner shown. -The guard is formed of a plate of sheet metal cut to the form indicated in Fig. 6. The front corner is rounded off, as at a, and holes 0 and d are formed therein at the positions shown. This plate is folded along the dotted line 0, so as to form a V-shaped guide or pass way, I, for the paper. The blade 13, of the form indicated in Fig. 7, and having a hole, cl, is arranged in the V-shaped passway between the two sides of the guard, with its euttingedge upward or toward the fold of the guard, and its point at 2) between the full corner a and rounded-off corner a at the front end of the guard-plate, and the blade is secured in position bya stud or screw, D, which passes through the holes (1 d and clamps the parts by aid of the nut D fitted onto the end thereof. The heel end of the blade fits closely against the guard at its upper edge, and the sides of the guard are bent inward to closely 6O embrace the sides of the blade at the position of fastening, so that the blade is retained rigidly in place. It is obvious that the blade might be secured by a riveted stud or be soldered into the guard; but I prefer a screw-fastening, as it permits of the blade being taken out of the guard for sharpening,when required. The sides of the guard may be indented or corrugated, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, to avoid liability of the instrument slipping in the fin- 7o gers. The blades may be made from flat steel wire or of thin sheet-steel. The guard-plate may be of brass and nickel-plated, thus forming a very neat and serviceable article. If desired, a ring may be arranged at one corner, as in Fig. 4, to facilitate attachingit toachain or cord.

Vhen using the instrument, it is taken between the thumb and finger. (See Fig. 5.) The end of the envelope E or folded sheet is entered in the passway between the sides of the folded guard-plate A, the point I) of the blade being entered between the folds of the paper, and the instrument is then passed forward along the edge of the envelope or folded leaves, so as to sever the paper in a direct, quick, and neat manner along the fold thereof. Aline, F, is engraved diagonally across the face of the guard A, which line, by being brought to correspond in direction with the edge fold of the envelope or leaves, denotes the proper position of the instrument to effect the cutting in the most advantageous manner. The openingOgives space at both sides opening, if desired, (see Fig. 4,) to facilitate the' clearance of any bits of paper that may be folded and sliding upon the edge of the blade.

Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire 5 to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An envelope-opener consisting of a lon gitudinally-disposed blade, B, inclosed and secured within the guard A, the latter formed of a folded plate arranged over the edge of IO saidblade in the mannersubstantiallyasshown and described.

2. The combination of the folded sheetmetal guard A, having the opening 0 in the line of its fold, the longitudinally-disposed 15 blade 13, with its edge extending across said GEORGE G. HOLDEN.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, G. S. JACKSON. 

